About me

Hi there,

I have a great enthusiasm for working within publishing. My upper-class second degree in BA Hons Graphic Arts has given me extensive IT knowledge and experience. I am skilled in using both Windows and Mac packages and confident with software such as Word, Excel, InDesign and Photoshop. The course has also enabled me to design websites and so I am more than capable with internet software. Because a lot of my degree work is with self-initiated projects, I have learnt how to use my independent time efficiently so that I am organised and productive.

I have been editor for two years of the Winchester section of Wessex Scene which is Southampton University's Student Newspaper. I have had two years of journalism training, learning not only how to not deal with the press but with press material and distribution processes. My role has included representing a campus of over 1,000 students and I have successfully built a strong and coherent team of writers. I have developed skills in management in order to organise many people within certain time frames whilst still being flexible enough to understand their needs. In 2011 the Winchester section won a highly commended award for engagement at the Excellence In Volunteering Awards; I was also nominated for a commitment award. This year I was nominated for the most prestigious award available, The Volunteer which I won and also gained honourary membership to the University of Southampton.

During my time at Winchester School of Art, I noticed that more focus is on the practical side of the arts rather than the conceptual. I have a keen interest in the latter. To empower and unite these thoughts I produced a book named The Winchester Journals, a collection of thirteen insightful articles addressing different topical issues of art. I proof-read and edited each student's article, which altogether formed 10,000 words. To sell the books, two other students and I formed our own publishing company, Soapbox Press.They are now stocked in many shops, galleries and libraries across England and our online blog is in the process of having equal success. This shows not only how driven I am to work in publishing, but how I can successfully use my initiative.

Fitting in with this motive I also founded Winchester School of Art's first society, Writers Society, which is predominantly for creative writing, a keen interest of mine. The group meets weekly. Different students run workshops on influential writers and a range of writing styles. This has had a domino effect and we now have four societies, building a much stronger community for the school where students of different years and courses are able to productively bond over interests outside of the curriculum and social life.

I would very much like to further my experience with you,

Yours sincerely,

Emily Cotton